Comments: FLASHY RAE comes off of a solid win on opening night and is a perfect 2 for 2 here at Churchill. She looks like a winner despite the small class hike. PRETTY HEIRESS has been running against some tough company at Oaklawn and is the one to beat. PROMISE ME JOY is a contender.

2nd - $28,900, Claiming ($40,000), 3 yo, 1 mi.

P#

Horse, jockey/trainer

Odds

1

Call Me George, Goncalves/Amoss

3-1

2

Gamekeeper, Garcia/Maker

3-1

3

John Gordon, Lanerie/Romans

5-2

4

Larissa's Love, Mena/Pitts

6-1

5

Transylvania Flash, Rocco/Von Hemel

6-1

6

J. J. Got Even, Bridgmohan/Maker

4-1

Choices: 1. Gamekeeper. 2. John Gordon. 3. J. J. Got Even.

Comments: GAMEKEEPER had a rough trip last out and gets blinkers for the first time today. He should handle the one-turn mile and rates the edge for Maker and Garcia. JOHN GORDON broke his maiden over this track last year, and his best makes him the one to beat. J. J. GOT EVEN is also trained by Maker and fits in here.

3rd- $45,000, Maiden Special Weight, 2 yo, 5 f.

P#

Horse, jockey/trainer

Odds

1

a-Big Blue Talent, Garcia/Ward

7-2

1A

a-Talk Show Talent, Garcia/Ward

7-2

2

Rope, Lanerie/Kobiskie

5-2

3

Little Lute, Benavides/Short

20-1

4

Alsono, Morales/Short

3-1

5

Big Gator, Santana/Asmussen

3-1

6

Total Justice, Torres/Short

20-1

7

Yes It's a Fact, Mena/Milligan

6-1

a-Coupled.

Choices: 1. Rope. 2. Big Gator. 3. Talk Show Talent.

Comments: ROPE ran well in his only start at Pimlico and Kobiskie figures to have him ready to win today. BIG GATOR showed nothing on the Keeneland poly but has been training here at Churchill and will run much better today. BIG BLUE TALENT and TALK SHOW TALENT make up the Ward-trained entry and have to be respected.

Comments: TRIUMPH AND SONG has shown vast improvement since moving to the barn of Bret Calhoun. He is riding a three-race win streak and posted a recent bullet work over the Churchill strip. Give him the edge in a tough allowance race. FLASHY DRESSER was no match for Travers winner Golden Ticket last out but needed that race and could add value to the gimmicks. GOOD MORNING DIVA has been running well at Gulfstream and is a definite threat.

5th- $24,600, Claiming ($16,000), 4 yo's & up, 1 1/16 mi.

P#

Horse, jockey/trainer

Odds

1

Curmudgeon, Straight/Estes

20-1

2

Ghostwalking, Pedroza/Foley

15-1

3

Lunar Fleet, Garcia/Tomlinson

7-2

4

Five Afleet, Vazquez/Booker

6-1

5

Ricky Tick, Santana/Asmussen

5-2

6

Balance the Budget, Lanerie/Lyster

4-1

7

Harborplace, Johnson/Hartlage

5-1

8

Strong Appeal, Castanon/Thornbury

5-1

Choices: 1. Ricky Tick. 2. Lunar Fleet. 3. Balance the Budget.

Comments: RICKY TICK was very impressive winning his last race at Oaklawn and can make it two in a row for Asmussen and Santana. LUNAR FLEET likes this track and figures to be the one to beat. BALANCE THE BUDGET fits with these.

Comments: FUNNY PROPOSITION needed her race at Keeneland and will appreciate the move back to the Churchill dirt, where she has won both of her races. She has been training sharply and appears to be in a good spot to get the win for Casse and Bridgmohan. AWESOME FLOWER has won back-to-back races since being claimed in December. She loved the Keeneland poly but is capable on the dirt and is the one to beat. YOUNG AND LOVELY was overmatched last out but has the speed to be dangerous.

7th- $33,100, Claiming ($50,000), 3 yo, 1 1/16 mi., tf

P#

Horse, jockey/trainer

Odds

1

a-Jump for Kitten, Garcia/Ward

3-1

1A

a-High Dollar Kitten, Garcia/Maker

3-1

2

Get in Line, Santana/Jones

7-2

3

My Friend Jimmy, Bridgmohan/Stewart

6-1

4

Summit County, Lanerie/Romans

5-2

5

Layin Low, Rocco/Amoss

10-1

6

Knights Nation, Morales/Mackey

15-1

7

Mr Garde, Lebron/McPeek

5-1

8

Don't Be Mad, Hernandez/Scherer

10-1

a-Coupled.

Choices: 1. Summit County. 2. Jump for Kitten. 3. Get in Line.

Comments: SUMMIT COUNTY will be running late in a race that figures to have a lively pace. He ran well over this turf course in November and his best would make him a winner for Romans and Lanerie. JUMP FOR KITTEN finished right behind the top pick at Gulfstream and looks like the main competition. GET IN LINE has won back-to-back races since moving to the turf.

8th- $15,000, Claiming ($8,000), 3 yo's & up, F & M, 6 1/2 f.

P#

Horse, jockey/trainer

Odds

1

Psycho Chick, Garcia/Maker

3-1

2

Call to Taps, Castillo/Ford

20-1

3

Sweet Baguette, McKee/Hickman

5-1

4

Barksdale, Morales/Kaelin

5-1

5

Little Face, Hernandez/Stewart

6-1

6

Little Sadie, Mena/Mills

5-1

7

Little Frilly, Lebron/Frost

6-1

8

Touch of Revenge, Johnson/McGee

4-1

Choices: 1. Sweet Baguette. 2. Psycho Chick. 3. Touch of Revenge.

Comments: SWEET BAGUETTE stopped badly in her first venture outside of California. She was claimed from that one and moves up a notch but actually faces a soft field and could turn it around today. PSYCHO CHICK figures to be the favorite but has been beaten at fairly short odds in her last nine races. TOUCH OF REVENGE is a contender.

9th- $14,000, Maiden Claiming ($10,000), 3 yo's & up, 1 mi.

P#

Horse, jockey/trainer

Odds

1

Royal Congrats, Santana/Gorder

15-1

2

Chasenthegold, Court/Fires

6-1

3

Ready Set Whoa, Torres/Cambron

50-1

4

Zero X Zero, Mena/Woodard

8-1

5

Auston Got Even, Garcia/Maker

5-2

6

Trenton Street, Morales/Boulmetis

20-1

7

Debits and Credits, Castillo/Hofmans

10-1

8

Dance Idol, Lanerie/Jacobson

7-2

9

Rango, Rossi/Frost

8-1

10

Twining Hearts, Lebron/McPeek

7-2

Choices: 1. Auston Got Even. 2. Dance Idol. 3. Twining Hearts.

Comments: AUSTON GOT EVEN was caught behind a slow pace at Calder but was running well at the end to finish fourth. He rates the edge in this maiden claimer. DANCE IDOL ran well in his first start over this track and is the one to beat. TWINING HEARTS is a contender.

Comments: LADY STONEWALL has never been on the grass but has the breeding to handle the switch. She is a 3-year-old taking on the more experienced runners but she can rally from off of the pace and could spring the mild upset. TATY'S GOLD has been off since November but is training sharply for her return. SWEET AND LOWDOWN is a contender in a wide-open race.

Comments: WATERCOLORS drops in for a tag for the first time and her best would be good enough to take this one. GREEK BIRD has only had two races and figures to improve. SCISSORTAIL G ran poorly in her last two but is capable of better.

HOW MIKE BATTAGLIA'S TOP PICKS FARED

Races

1st

2nd

3rd

Thursday

9

1

2

2

Meet

116

40

21

19

Liam Durbin's top picks

1st - Flashy Rae, Pretty Heiress, Promise Me Joy.

2nd - J.J. Got Even, John Gordon, Transylvania Flash.

3rd - Rope, Alsono, Big Gator.

4th - Gentlemen's Bet, Triumph and Song, Good Morning Diva.

5th - Balance the Budget, Lunar Fleet, Ghostwalking.

6th - Ante Up Annie, Allanah, Funny Proposition.

7th - Summit County, Jump for Kitten, Knights Nation.

8th - Little Frilly, Psycho Chick, Barksdale.

9th - Dance Idol, Twining Hearts, Auston Got Even.

10th - Rally the Troops, A Time to Love, Lady Stonewall.

11th - Buzzin at Midnight, Scissortail G, Watercolors.

(c) 2013 Equibase Company LLC, all rights reserved.

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Friday's entries at Churchill Downs

Handicapper Mike Battaglia makes his selections for Friday's day of racing at Churchill Downs.